Lula’s Amazon Plan Masks Compromises That Undermine True Conservation

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva recently unveiled an ambitious plan to protect the Amazon rainforest through a "Tropical Forests Forever Fund," aiming to funnel billions into tropical forest preservation without relying on what he dismissively calls "donations" from wealthy nations. Yet beneath this grand vision lies a troubling contradiction revealing the realpolitik that risks undermining both environmental integrity and strategic stability. Can Big Promises Overlook Risky Realities? Lula’s rejection of traditional aid in favor of a trust fund pooling private and public investments sounds promising. Countries like Colombia, Ghana, and Indonesia have signed up, while Western governments including...